Biological hazards within the workplace, the emerging platform economy1 and the informal economy2 were among the critical issues discussed by CARICOM ministers responsible for labour at the Thirty-fourth Special Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) Labour held on 8 April in Georgetown, Guyana.
Sen. the Hon. Claudette Joseph, Attorney General and Minister for Legal Affairs, Labour and Consumer Affairs, Grenada, chaired the meeting, which focused on preparation for the International Labour Conference (ILC), slated for 2 – 13 June 2025 in Geneva. Technical officers and stakeholders in the Region’s labour sector also participated.
The Chair expressed her gratitude to ministers for their commitment to adopting a unified position on pivotal labour issues, which will be represented at the ILC.
“I am pleased that we were able as a body to craft a unified approach that we intend to adopt as we make representation at the ILC,” stated the Chair.
She provides further insight below.
CARICOM’s Assistant Secretary-General, CARICOM Single Market and Trade, Ambassador Wayne McCook, echoed the Chair’s sentiments and highlighted the significance of COHSOD-Labour to ensuring coordination within the Community’s labour sectors.
“At the community level, the Council that deals with labour issues is the Council for Human and Social Development. So, today’s meeting of the Council focused on labour issues and addressed a number of key regional labour market concerns, as well as the Community’s preparation for its participation in the International Labour Conference. In preparation for that Conference, the ministers would have discussed key items on the agenda, including the platform economy and biological hazards, among other things,” stated ASG McCook.
“So they would in those discussions have shared common perspectives and come to a common approach that they will take forward in the meeting of the ILC that will take place in Geneva in June of this year,” he added.
Listen to the ASG’s comments below.
COHSOD promotes human and social development. Specifically, Article 17 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas states that the Council, which consists of Ministers designated by the Member States, will promote and develop co-ordinated policies and programmes to improve the living and working conditions of workers and take appropriate measures to facilitate the organisation and development of harmonious labour and industrial relations in the Community.
- The platform economy refers to economic activities facilitated by digital platforms that connect users, enabling interactions, transactions, collaboration, and innovation, and has disrupted traditional business models. ↩︎
- The informal economy encompasses economic activities not subject to government regulation or taxation, often involving workers and businesses operating outside the formal legal and regulatory framework. ↩︎
